Plural passage rotary valve



0 United States Patent 1 1 3,542,070 [72] Inventor Walter R. Sheeter 55Ref r m s cited 2 A I No UNITED STATES PATENTS fg, March 25.19683,285,278 11/1966 Corlett 137/4542 Patented No 24,1370 3,384,121 5/1968Spencer..... 137/4542 [73] Assignee All Power Manufacturing Co. 3'4230671/1969 post?! 251/309 Momebeuo California 3,430,919 3/1969 Frazl e r25l/3l2 a corporation of California FOREIGN-,PATENTS 639,539 6/l950Great Britain 25l/288 963,090 7/1964 Great Britain 251/309 PrimaryExaminerWilliam R. Cline Att0meyWilliam P. Green 1 PLURAL PASSAGE ROTARYVALVE ABSTRACT: A spray gun capable of discharging selectively 6 Claims12 Dumas Figs either an air-liquid mixture or a stream of pure air, withthe [52] US. Cl 137/625J9 selection being made by a rotary valve unitconsisting of an [51] Int. Cl. Fl6k 5/04 outer apertured sleeve, arotary valve element proper in the [50] Field of Search ..l37/625.l9,sleeve, an actuating knob, and a motion limiting washer, all

I v N I.

connected by a snap ring for removal as a unit from a chamber in thesprayer body.

Patented Nov. 24, 1970 I ,CLEANEQ 51-155. TEQ

BACKGROUND o TI-IE? INVENTION This invention relates to a unique sprayerdevice which may be used for various'purposes, but whichis in certainrespects especiallyintended and adapted for service as a cleaningdevice, for applying solvent or, other cleaning liquid to, and

then drying, a piece of equipment.

There have in .the past been devised spray guns of various types fordelivering fluids onto an object to be treated. In some of thesepriorarrangements, compressed air is, utilized as a motive force forentraining a liquid, and forming with the liquid a combined air-liquidspray; However, none of these prior arrangements with which I amfamiliar has been completely satisfactory for use in performing smallcleaning jobs around machine tools and other similar equipment,particularly where there "are. restricted inaccessible locations aboutthe equipment-into which most conventional types of cleaning equipmentcannot reach. The previously devised spray equipment has usually'beenrelatively bulky and inconvenient to move from place to place, and hasin many instances been more difficult than would be desired to convertbetween its different operating conditions.

SUMMARY or THE INVENTION ing solvent to those regions,-and to blowdebris to more accessibleareas by an air or air-liquid stream. The guncan be very easily converted between'its different operative conditionsby manipulation of a unique control-valve, preferably taking theform ofa rotary valve element positioned for ready access and manualmanipulation by the hand of a user.

FIGS. 7a and '.7b are views corresponding respectively to FIGS. "6a and6 b,- but showing the valve in a second rotary setting; and Y v FIG.8'is an exploded perspective view of the various parts forming theremovable valve assembly.

DESCRIPTION or THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring first to FIG. 1, Ihaveshown in that FIG. a sprayer system embodying the invention and whichcan serve very effectively as a portable cleaning system. The apparatusof FIG. 1 includes a spray gun -10 which receives air from a source ofcompressed air represented diagrammatically at 11. The gun also receivesa liquid solventfrom a small portable container 12 within which thesolvent is represented at 13. The solvent may typically be anappropriate organic solvent, such as a'conventional paint thinner,lacquer thinner, or the like, adapted to dissolve or loosen grease andother contaminants which may be found on or around the equipment to becleaned. The air and solvent are discharged together from the gunthrough a discharge nozzle 14, having an aspirator or ejector unit 15 atits end at which the motion of the compressed air serves to draw thesolvent 13 from tank 12 and through a hose 16 to the nozzle.

Hose 16 leading from tank 12 to the spray gun 10 is a conventional typeof flexible two tube hose assembly, including an outer flexible tube orhose l7, and an inner concentric smaller flexible hose l8 dividing theinterior of tube 17 into two isolated passages, one within the innertube 18, and the other being the annular space radially between the twotubesfFitting 19 mounted on the top of the container or tank 12 isdesigned to place the inner passage within tube 18 in communicationthrough a pickup tube 20 with the solvent 13 in the tank, and to placethe outerpassage radially between tubes 17 and 18in communicationwithline 21 leading from the air source II. The twotubes l7 and 18 maybe formed of any appropriate flexible and easily manipulatable material,such as a suitable The rotary valve element contains passagescoactingwith passages in an outer'sleeve invalving relationr'lhe .valvee le ment and the sleeve are desirably insertible as a unit into a valvechamber in the body, with the sleeve then being retained againstrotation, so that the valve element will thereafter function by itsrotation to control the delivery of fluids to the discharge nozzle. Thesleeve is retained on the valve element by an appropriate retainingelement, desirably a snap ring received within agroove in an axiallyinner end portion of the' valve element. At its axially outer'end,' 'thevalve element is connected to a rotary actuating element or knob, with arotation limiting stop element being received at the axially inner sideof the knob, and preferably taking the form of a washer engageable withthe body of the gun in a manner retaining that element in fixedposition.

v BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The above and other features andobjects of the invention 1 will be better understood from the.following'de'tailed descrip- FIG. la is a section through the aspiratorunit at the discharge end of the spraygunof FIG. 1;

FIG. 2 is a greatly enlarged side view of the handle portion of thesprayer of FIG. 1; I

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary plan view taken on line3-3 of FIG. 2; p

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary vertical section taken primarily on line 4-4ofFIG. 3; I

. FIGS. 5a and-5b are transverse sections taken on lines 5a-5a and Sb-Sbrespectively of FIG. 2;

FIGS. 6a and 6b are sections taken on lines 611-611 and 6b-6brespectively of FIG. 4, showing the valve in a first rotary setting;

resinous plastic material resistant to the particular solvent beingused. 1

I The spray gun It) includes a rigid gun body 22, having a' handleportion 23 dimensioned to be easily held in the hand of 'a user, withthis handle portion having the side elevational opening 25 may be formedin the lower end of the handle for use in hanging the. gun on a hook orother support structure.

At the upper end of the handle,-body 22 carries a rotary valve assembly26, which is adapted to be preassembled'before insertion into a valvechamber 27 formed in the body, and which functions to control thedelivery of air and liquid from hose 16 to discharge nozzle 14. The hose16 is connected upwardly into a threaded recess 28 in the underside ofthe upper portion of body 22, by means of a fitting 29 of a type knownin the art, which fitting delivers the liquid from within tube 18 to afirst passage 30 drilled in the material of body 22, and delivers thecompressed air from the annular space about tube l8 to asecond passage31 drilled into the body (past a fluid 0 passing spider 18' within thefitting).

Chamber 27 has a cylindrical side wall 32 centered about an inclinedaxis 33. This cylindrical side wall continues along substantially theentire length of the chamber, from its inner end 34 to the outer openend 35 of the chamber, at which body 22 forms a rearwardly facing planarwall or shoulder surface 36 disposed transversely of axis 33 andextending about chamber 27. The two previously mentioned liquid and airinlet passages 30 and 31 communicate with the interior of chamber 27through circular openings extending through cylindrical wall 32 at theunderside of the chamber. At diametrically opposite locations withrespect to axis 33, two liquid and air discharge passages 39 and 40communicate with the upper side of valve chamber 27, to lead liquid andair into a fitting 41 screwed into a forwardly facing bore 42 in body22. Fitting 41 is of a known type serving to place liquid dischargepassage 39 within the body in communication with an inner tube 43 ofnozzle 14, while the fitting places outlet passage 40 of the body incommunication with the annular space about tube 43 and between that tubeand an outer concentric tube 44 of the nozzle. These two nozzle tubes 43and 44 are rigid, and may be concentric along their entire length to thelocation of the outer aspirator fitting 15, which discharges the airpast the end of inner tube 43 in a manner entraining liquid from withintube 43 into the air stream for discharge with the air in spray form.The nozzle 14 may typically have a bend near its end at a location 45,or may be of any other shape adapted to facilitate directing of the airor air-solvent mixture onto an item to be cleaned. The end of tube 43may be centered in tube 44 by a fluid passing spider 43' (see FIG. 1a

Valve assembly 26 includes a tubular internally and externallycylindrical sleeve 46, of an external diameter to fit closely withincylindrical wall 32 of the valve chamber 27, and retained in the FIG. 4position within that chamber by a set screw 47 or the like. The outercylindrical surface of sleeve 46 contains three axially spaced grooveswithin which there are received three elastomeric seal rings or O-rings,which annularly engage chamber wall 32 in fluid tight sealing relationat locations axially between and axially beyond the points ofcommunication of passages 30, 31, 39, and 40 with the valve chamber.

Within sleeve 46, there is provided a rotary valve element 51, having anouter cylindrical surface 52 of a diameter to fit closely within theinner cylindrical passage in sleeve 46, and having grooves containingthree elastomeric seal rings 53, 54, and 55 annularly engaging thesleeve in fluid tight sealing relation at locations radially oppositeand corresponding to the positions of the three seal rings on the outersurface of the sleeve.

The tubular side wall of sleeve 46 contains two radially extendingdiametrically opposite and aligned openings or passages 56 whichcommunicate with body passages 30 and 39 respectively, and contains twoadditional and similar radially extending diametrically oppositeopenings or passages 57 communicating with passages 31 and 40respectively. To coact with and form a connection'between the two sleeveopenings 57, valve element 51 contains a diametrically extending passage58 (FIG. 6a), and a second diametrical passage 60 at right anglesthereto; and to coact with the sleeve openings 56, the valve elementcontains a diametrical passage 59 (FIG. 6b

At its axially outer end, rotary valve element 51 is rigidly attached toand carries an actuating knob 61 (FIG. 4), which may contain a passage62 adapted to fit closely about the outwardly projecting end of thevalve element. Knob 61 may be secured to the valve element by a setscrew 63 tightenable against the latter. The knob is desirablysubstantially cylindrical externally, but knurled at 64 to facilitateturning of the knob by the thumb and forefinger of the users hand, whilethe rest of the fingers of that hand grasp handle portion 23 of body 22.

Disposed about valve element 51, at a location axially between sleeve 46and knob 61, there is provided a stop washer 65, which may fit partiallywithin a recess 66 formed on the forward side of the knob and defined bya peripheral flange or ridge 67 on the knob. The forward planar face 68of washer 65 bears against rear planar surface 36 of gun body 22, whilethe rear planar annular 69 of the washer engages the forward circularplanar face 70 of the knob, within its recessed area. At its oppositesides, the washer forms two forwardly directed or forwardly extendinglugs or flanges 71, having opposed inwardly facing parallel planarsurfaces 72 spaced in correspondence with the thickness t (FIG. b) ofgunbody 22, and adapted to engage the opposite parallel planar side wallsurfaces 73 of that body 22 in the relation illustrated in FIG. 5b, toeffectively retain the washer against turning movement about axis 33relative to the body. At its underside, the washer 65 has an arcuatecutaway or peripheral slot 74 which movably receives a stop pin 75projecting forwardly from knob 61 (FIGS. 4, 5a, and 8), to limit therotation of knob 61 and the attached valve element 51 to approximatelyabout axis 33.

At its forward, valve element 51 projects slightly forwardly beyond thetransverse end surface 76 of sleeve 36, and contains an annular groove77 (FIGS. 4 and 8) within which there is receivable and retainable aresilient snap ring 78, formed of spring steel or the like, andprojecting radially far enough to engage the end of the sleeve in amanner retaining the valve element against axial withdrawal from thevalve element.

To now describe the manner of use of the apparatus, assume that tank 12has been filled with an appropriate liquid solvent, and that compressedair at a suitable pressure is being supplied by source 11 of FIG. 1. Auser may then grasp the gun body at 23, and direct the discharge oraspirator end 15 of nozzle 14 toward a piece of equipment to be cleaned,with knob 61 turned to the valving position illustrated in FIGS. 6a and6b, so that air is delivered through valve element 51 and to the nozzleby means of the passage 60 of FIG. 6a, while solvent is delivered to thenozzle through valve passage 59 of FIG. 6b. The air entrains and causesmovement of the liquid at the aspirator 15, to form a combined air andfinely divided mist form solvent spray which may beaimed by the nozzlefor appropriate cleaning of a piece of equipment. After enough solventhas been delivered, the operator, while still grasping handle portion 23of body 22 with his right hand, can reach upwardly with the thumb andforefinger of that same hand to engage opposite sides of knob 61 andturn that knob through 90to the position represented in FIGS. 70 and 7b,in which position solvent is no longer delivered to the nozzle, but airalone is delivered, through the second passage 58 in the valve. The airstream may then be used to dry the object being cleaned.

If desired, the device can be adjusted to a third condition, to delivera discharge stream which is primarily air but contains a very smallamount of solvent. For this purpose, it is noted that the ends of theair passages 58 and 60 in the valve element (and communicating passages57) are desirably of somewhat larger diameter than the ends of solventpassage 59 (and communicating-passages 56), and are so located that byturning the knob very slightly from the position of FIGS. 6a and 6b,some but not all of the solvent flow may be closed off, while the aircontinues to flow with little or no reduction in volume, so that thedesired thinner solvent-air mixture is attained. The air flow or thecombined air-solvent flow may also be employed for blowing accumulateddebris from inaccessible locations behind and around equipment, bymerely directing the nozzle 14, or a substitute nozzle of straight orother shape, into the hidden area.

During initial assembly of the spray gun, the entire valve unit may bepreassembled before insertion into chamber 27, and may then be insertedas a unit into the chamber, and be retained therein by the single setscrew 47. Snap ring 78 holds the valve assembly, including sleeve 46,valve element 51, knob 61 and washer 65, together during installation,and

retains the valve element and knob against withdrawal from the gun afterinstallation. Also, in the event of operational difficulty with thevalve unit, this entire assembly may be removed from the gun body andreplaced very easily and quickly by another similar unit. I claim:

1. Apparatus comprising a body containing a valve chamber having twofluid inlet passages and two fluid outlet passages communicatingtherewith, an essentially tubular sleeve receivable in the body andextending about an axis and having I two openings in its side wallcommunicating with said inlet passages respectively and two additionalopenings in its side .ing in a second rotary setting to pass only onefluid to an of the actuating element and valve element.

outlet passage and closeoff the other fluid. s

2. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, including spaced seal rings carriedin grooves in the outer surface of said sleeve and engageable in sealingrelation with the wall of said chamber at locations between andaxiallybeyond said different inlet and outlet openings, andadditionalspaced seal ringscarried in grooves in the outer surface ofsaid rotary valve elementand engaging the sleeve at locations betweenandaxially beyond said passages inthe valve element.

3. Apparatus comprising-a body containing a valve chamber having fluidinlet and outlet passages communicating therewith, an essentiallytubular sleeve receivable in the body and extending about an axis andhaving openings in its side wall communicating. with said inlet andoutlet-passages, a rotary valve element-extending axially-within-saidsleeve and mounted to turn about-said axis relative to the sleeve andbody, said rotary valve, element containing a passage acting in a firstrotary setting of said element to pass fluid from an inlet passagethrough said sleeve and said element to an outlet passage, and acting ina second rotary setting to close off such fluid flow, a rotaryactuatingelement connected to an axially outer end of said valve elementand accessible for manual actuation at the outside of said body to turnthe valve element between said settings, a stop washer located axiallybetween said sleeve and said actuating element and retained by said bodyagainst rotary motion about said axis, said washer having a peripheralcutaway movably receiving a lug on said actuating element and engageabletherewith to limit rotary motion 4. Apparatus comprising a bodycontaining a valve chamber having fluid inlet and outlet passagescommunicating therewith, an essentially tubular sleeve receivable in thebody and extending about an axis and having openings in its side wallcommunicating withsaid inlet and outlet passages, a rdtary valve elementextending axially within said sleeve and mounted to turn about said axisrelative to the sleeve and body, said rotary-valve element containing apassage acting in a firstrotary setting of said element to pass fluidfrom arrinlet passage through said sleeve and said element to an outletpassage, and acting in a second rotary setting to close off such saidsleeve and said actuating element and adjacent a portion of said bodyand having axially extending lugs at opposite sides of saidbodyengag'eab le with said' sides of the body in a relation preventingrotary motion of the washer, and stop means on said actuating elementand said washerlimiting rotary motion of the actuating element.

5. Apparatus comprising a body containing a valve chamber having fluidinlet and outlet passages communicating therewith, an essentiallytubularsleeve receivable in the body and extending about an axis and havingopenings-in its side a first rotary setting of said element to passfluid from an inlet passage through said'sleeve and said element to anoutlet passage,'and acting in a second rotary setting to close off suchfluid flow, a rotary actuating element connected to an axially outer endof said'valve element and accessible for manual actuation at the outsideof said body to turn the valve element between said settings, a'stopwasher located axially between said sleeve and said actuating elementand retained by said body against rotary motion about said axis, stopmeans on said washer limiting rotary motion of said actuating element, asnap ring connected to said valve element axially inwardly beyond saidsleeve and retaining the valve element against removal from the body asa unit.

6. Apparatus as recited in claim 5, in which there are two of said fluidinlet passages and two of said fluid outlet passages in the body, therebeing two of said openings in the sleeve communicable with said inletpassages respectively and two additional openings in the sleevecommunicable with said outlet passages respectively, there being atleast two of said passages in the rotary valve element operable in said,first setting to pass two different fluids between said inlet passagesand saidoutlet passages, and in said second setting to pass only onefluid to an outlet passage and close off the other fluid, there beingspaced sealrings carried in grooves in the outer surface of said sleeveand eng'ageable 'in'sealing relation with the wall of said chamber atlocations between and axially beyond said different inlet and outletopenings; and-additional spaced seal rings carried in grooves in theouter surface of said rotary valve/element and engaging the sleeve atlocations between and axially beyond said passages in the valve element.

